2017 Tundra 5.7 liter V8 iForce

Towing our camper, I heard a click click click sound like a teletypewriter when I pressed on the brakes. It came from the dash but wasn’t sure from where. Eventually when applying the brakes, a warning screen came up saying “Trailer wiring, type or connection fault”. No brakes to the camper. Pulled over, shut the truck off, disconnected and reconnected the 7pin , started it up, warning gone, and had brakes again. Unfortunately this keeps happening as we drive. I have noticed now where the clicking sound comes from, as I apply the brakes, the output to the trailer on the dash display kinda flickers with it. I had Toyota check the controller, they couldn’t find anything. I took the camper to our local dealer, they can’t find anything. They replaced the connector that goes into the 7pin. That didn’t do it. They checked the magnets in the wheels, nothing there. They were thinking maybe the wire in the axle, but the camper is only 3 years old. They hooked the Tundra up to another camper, no warning screen, only drove a few miles, but the output to the trailer delayed 3-4 seconds before the green bar engaged. Any ideas? I’m in over $300 already between Toyota and the RV dealer trying to figure it out.

 

First think I would check is the battery and the alternator. Make sure you have a good charge on the battery and it is holding. If you are sure of that, I would check the wheel speed sensors.

 

in addition to above, have any LED lights in the truck? Some will cause electrical interference, specifically cargo and tail lights that can impact that and other systems.

And then the stock brake controllers have had their issues, there was a TSB for an update on them. Some people have had so many issues with the stock controllers they removed them and installed a P3 controller. There is a kit available that has it sitting in same location in the dash. Being a 2017- swapping in a P3 would be easier, plug and play pretty much vs having to hard wire on the newer trucks (2018-2021.

If you search there are many threads on towing brakes, factory controllers.

 

The stock controllers are looking for resistance across the trailer lighting circuit and interpreting that resistance as "the trailer is still behind us" as opposed to "the trailer is now sailing into oncoming traffic".

My Triton flatbed trailer has resistors in the circuit; never any issues with that trailer. My slamhole's Jayco camper does not and my controller used to have conniptions about it.

A firmware update to the controller fixt it.

 

I second some of what has been said. The factory controllers have been known to be problematic when they came out. Sounds like there is a firmware update for it which is nice to hear.

As for LED lights, one of my trailers came with them and I’ve never had issues with it. But that doesn’t mean it can’t happen.

I did have a similar issue with my P3 Prodigy whenever I borrowed a friend’s flatbed. My brake controller would sometimes work and sometimes flash ‘No Connection’. Turned out one of his brake wires was corroded and broken at the brake hub. His factory brake controller in his GM never threw up a red flag so he had no idea.

Last thing I’ve seen is poor or bad grounds - usually on the trailer. I would say that at least half of the trailer wiring issues I’ve dealt with (almost always on other folks’ trailers) were grounding issues.

 

Thanks everyone. Next step I’ll go back to Toyota to see if there’s an update. We have 2 inside dome led lights that flicker, never thought of it causing a problem, I will remove those bulbs to see what happens. I’ll recheck the ground connections. Lastly if problem still not corrected, I’ll have to have the rv dealer pull the axle wire, he has already checked all other wiring. Has anyone heard of an adapter that plugs into the 7pin of the truck, and then the camper connects to it. I heard something about the newer trucks controller might be checking for voltage in some manner, the campers aren’t designed to match their signal, and it disengages the use of the brakes, throwing up the warning?

 

Or you could add resistor(s) into the Jayco's wiring.

 

Have you fixed the problem?

I had the same message displayed.

I discovered the electro-magnet for the trailer brakes would short out only when the truck brake pedal was depressed. I decided to replace the entire brake assembly instead of just the electro-magnet. That fixed it.

I replaced both the left and right side (manual adjust) brake assembly to auto-adjust.

 

I had the same issue as you are describing on my 2018. There was a TSB about this that I brought to the dealerships attention and they took care of it. Problem was solved after that. I don’t remember the TSB number but it’s probably somewhere on this forum if you look for it.

That beeping was annoying as hell the couple times I towed with it before getting the issue fixed!

 

That is an example of something that will not be happening.

 

Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living. And above all, all those who live without love.

 

I pity the fool!